1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to electronic positioning, and in particular, to collecting and normalizing electronic signal information for use in signal-based mapping.
2. Background
The integration of wireless communication functionality into both existing and emerging applications continues to expand. Strong demand has spurred developers to not only create more powerful communication devices, but also to introduce other helpful applications that rely upon wireless communication for support. In this manner, wireless communication has moved beyond the mere conveyance of voice data, and has evolved to make possible various applications for personal productivity, business, entertainment, etc.
At least one popular communication-based application that has emerged is electronic positioning. Electronic positioning may provide current location information for apparatuses in terms of coordinates, in relation to visual presentation (e.g., map), etc. However, the means for obtaining information upon which a position is determined may vary. For example, apparatuses may include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers for obtaining the electronic positioning information from satellites. Long-range wireless communication systems (e.g., cellular) may also provide positioning information through methods such as cell-based triangulation, while short-range wireless systems may be able to provide information through determination of proximity to wireless access points, etc.
These wireless communication systems may serve as adequate sources of information for supporting positioning systems in the out-of-doors because, in addition to position information being readily available for providing quick position resolution, maps for most populated regions are available and frequently updated. However, these same advantages do not exist when attempting to implement electronic positioning inside of a structure (e.g., buildings). Accurate map information (or any map information) is often not available, and the electronic positioning signals relied upon for outside positioning may not be as dependable based on the prevalent sources of interference that are found inside of structures. As a result, electronic position resolution within a structure may be very slow, if even available, and may be lack the accuracy required to be effective.